Madman Across the Water
by Nehszriah
Summary: A tribute to the Merry, from the mind of the crew member who loved it the most. Late Enies Lobby spoilers, a little random at the end, but still works. [legal songfic] Rated T because I don't know what else to rate it.


Here's another One Piece song-fiction, except this time… there's Elton John! Yayness! Seriously though, even if you don't like Elton John, it should be a good read. At least, I think so. It's more the lyrics than the melody, but… ano… yeah. I do not own _One Piece_. Please review. I need reviews. Arigato.

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Madman Across the Water

_I can see very well_

_There's a boat on the reef with a broken back_

_And I can see it very well_

_There's a joke and I know it very well_

_It's one of those that I told you long ago_

_Take my word I'm a madman don't you know_

They said that she could not be fixed, not for all the berri in the world. How cruel can they be? She had been a proud ship from the moment I laid eyes on her. Our ship may be worn, but not useless! It was the ship that carried us to the Grand Line, sailed in the clouds and survived through all sorts of storms on the sea and in our hearts. How can a ship like that be fallible? Never; that's the answer. She shall never falter. Never in a million years can a ship as beautiful and graceful as this ever fall to her end. She will always live on… I can swear it.

_Once a fool had a good part in the play_

_If it's so would I still be here today_

_It's quite peculiar in a funny sort of way_

_They think it's very funny everything I say_

_Get a load of him, he's so insane_

_You better get your coat dear_

_It looks like rain_

To be honest, I knew that such a small vessel would not make it for very long at sea. When I saw the Grand Line, though, my spirits and hopes for the generous gift skyrocketed. Despite the fact I had to make repairs continually, I kept in denial over the truly delicate body that the wooden craft possessed. The rail would break; I would fix it. The door would fall off the hinges; I would fix it. Everyone else would tease me and call my efforts futile. The ship would break, I would make the repairs and they would watch from afar and laugh. The best part about that was that by the end of the repair job, they would always end up picking up a mallet and nails and help my efforts along. Maybe it was the fact that they never said anything about our ship being invincible. Hell, even Luffy is not invincible. He has yet to beat his brother in a fight, but I haven't seen him lose yet! How can you argue with a guy like that? Simple: you can not.

_We'll come again next Thursday afternoon_

_The In-laws hope they'll see you very soon_

_But is it in your conscience that you're after_

_Another glimpse of the madman across the water_

Sometimes when I sat in the crow's nest late at night, I thought about what it would have been like if Kaya could see the ship. I am sure she would be amazed by the distance she had traveled, floored by the places that have been seen and adventures that were had. I could tell her stories about our adventures and she would believe every one, all the way down to the island in the sky. She would see the ship's many scars and have faith in my tales that she never would have had before. Kaya would cry a mixture of pain and happiness for the ship, for the crew, for me. She's a good person like that. I would never show her the ship now in the condition it is in. Too many sad tears would come to her eyes. Making her cry in sorrow like that would be considered the ultimate sin. If she is going to cry, it is going to be out of joy upon our triumphant return. Anything less would curse me to Hell, most likely sitting next to Zoro. I want her to smile as she cries; she's had too much sadness in her life. Something like this would only make it worse. I could never wish to make it worse for her.

_I can see very well_

_There's a boat on the reef with a broken back_

_And I can see it very well_

_There's a joke and I know it very well_

_It's one of those that I told you long ago_

_Take my word I'm a madman don't you know?_

The thing about this whole thing that will probably break my heart the most in the end is the Klabautermann I saw in Skypiea. The ship's spirit fixed the damage. It repaired itself so as to carry us to the next island safely, wanting to make sure we were somewhere that could provide us with another sailing vessel. We had all cared about that ship and the ship cared about us in return. I always held fast to the superstition of the ship having a soul. I never thought that I was right, or ever could be right about it. A ship should be an inanimate object. Things that are not alive fail to have souls. If so, then how can that Klabautermann exist? I want to say it is another one of my lies, another false vision that came to me since I was half-asleep, but Franky confirmed it. The spirit is real. Maybe it was not tangible, but still there all the same. It, the Klabautermann, symbolizes the bond between ship and crew; something that not every crew has with their means of traveling the many seas of our world. Yes, my heart is broken, for this bond was a reality, despite what kind of nonsense it may seem like.

_The ground's a long way down but I need more_

_Is the nightmare black?_

_Or are the windows painted?_

_Will they come again next week?_

_Can my mind really take it?_

Now I cry as the familiar ram's head erupts into flame, engulfed by the self-pyre that the ship had become. My heart aches. Now, I cannot even bring Kaya back a piece of the ship as a memento. My mask hides my tears while the warrior's funeral is under way. How can I explain this to Kaya? I am not even part of the Mugiwara Kaizokudan anymore. So much has to be said. Do I simply go back to her, tail between my legs? Kill my pride and return to Luffy's crew? Go off to Elbaf and the unknown on my own? No matter what I do, I will not be with the ship that I had so cared for so lovingly. Never can I keep her afloat. This entire process is cruel. It hurts. It hurt like the day my mom died. Knowing I can never hold my mom's hand again is painful, just like it is painful that I can never see the familiar wooden planks of the ship for as long as I live. Fate is a total jerk for doing things like this to me. Being a creature of habit, it pains me to have so much change going on in my life. I mean, come on, I was content with my routine of false proclamations and tale-spinning. It made me who I was; who I am.

Maybe, just maybe though, I was not supposed to be that scrawny troublemaker. I had to leave on the ship and go out here to become an admirable man. That ship that's burning in the water, flame yet to be extinguished by the salty sea, brought me here.

I thank you _Merry Go_, from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for everything. No matter where I go from here, there will always be the memory of you and my former crew filling my thoughts with pleasantries. It is the greatest gift I could ever have received from a person or a ship. You were, no… you _are_, definitely one of my nakama.


End file.
